I often talk about the pioneers and what they have cooked throughout the 1700’s and 1800’s all the way up to recipes of today, but I often leave out foods made by our First Nations Aboriginal community, like bannock. Bannock has been made by several cultural groups through the last few hundred years and each culture has their own version. Bannock is a type of fry bread, typically a flat quick bread that uses different flours depending upon where is originated from. In Scotland and the UK, typically a combination of wheat and oat flour is used whereas in Canada, wheat, barley or corn flour is used.
Some cultures like the Scottish Highlanders made bannock (bannuc), also known as oat cakes, dating back to the 700’s and were an unleavened oat-based flatbread, often using sourdough, that was baked or cooked on a hot stone placed on a hot stone in front of the hearth.
The Métis and Indigenous First Nations in Canada have their version of bannock or fry bread, which is typically made with wheat flour and one that my daughters were fortunate enough to learn from their Girl Guide leader (the beauty of multiculturalism!). In Girl Guides, we have embraced the First Nations culture and throughout the years of my daughters’ guiding experiences, they have learned about different bannock preparations and cooking techniques among other things of our First Nations Peoples. We have made bannock the traditional way by placing the dough on a stick (or sometimes a large dowel, that has been soaked in water for several hours so it does not catch on fire), and then cooked over an open fire. Nothing compares to cooking over a fire! We have also made fry bread, like this recipe, in which the bannock is fried in vegetable oil. No matter which way the bannock is prepared, they are always delicious!
Let’s get started!
This fry bread is quite simple to prepare. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, water and a splash of oil and mix until a dough forms. Turn onto counter and bring the dough together, much like you would for biscuits.
Flatten dough slightly and cut in eighths.
Heat a pan with vegetable oil. Place a few pieces in at a time. Cook until browned. Flip and continue cooking until browned and cooked through. You can also bake these in the oven. Place bannock on paper towel lined plate for excess oil to drip off. Continue until all are cooked. Enjoy the bannock with jam and nut/seed butter, cheese spread, butter or anything else that you like. These are delicious any which way you enjoy them.
Bannock
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
Splash oil
Mix altogether until a dough forms, adding more water if needed. Knead until no longer sticky. Flatten slightly. Cut and cook. Fry in vegetable oil until each side is golden, remove and set on a paper towel lined plate and continue frying until complete, or bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours